Dash Dosh stakes her claim as Ascent backup

Tom Bagrie has a late message for slot holders in the $500,000 Ascent at Addington next Friday.

“Just in case anybody has anything go wrong, and we hope they don’t, you can tell them we are keen to help out,” says Bagrie.

The “we” in that sentence are Bagrie and the other owners of high-class filly Dash Dosh (Trixton), who recorded the fourth win of her harness racing career very convincingly in the Horses Perform Better On Betavet Trot at Addington on Friday.

In a race that changed complexion enormously when $1.20 favourite Ya Rite Darl galloped at the start, Dash Dosh showed both manners and a touch of class to beat Tribbiani.

Bagrie says he would love to be in next Friday’s slot race but as the majority owner of his filly he didn’t have the lions share of $30,000 lying around so couldn’t quite stretch to a slot.

“Hey we know the slots are all full and good luck to everybody in the race but if somebody did have something go wrong over the weekend well she is here and we’d love to help out.”

DASH DOSH REPLAY

If Dash Dosh doesn’t get the emergency call-up Bagrie won’t have to wait long for the next perfect target with the NZ Trotting Oaks the following Friday.

“The Trotting Oaks has been the race we have set her for all along and she is going to head there confident and in a really good place.

“She has always had that real ability but like a lot of young trotters she went through a phase where she had to learn what it is all about.

“But she has come out the other side of that now a better horse and her last four starts at Addington has now been for three wins and a second.”

Bagrie is doing okay with 12 horses in work including five racehorses but says there is always more room for owners who think a young trainer with a smaller team might suit their horse.

While Dash Dosh was putting her hand up as a contender to whatever the next month brings, Ya Rite Darl’s connections will be hoping the old saying “a poor dress rehearsal makes for a great show” is proved right as they look forward to the Ascent.

She turned multi tickets into waste paper just a stride after the start in a race she was thrown into to keep her ticking over before next Friday’s slot race.

Still, you suppose it is better to make that mistake for $15,000 this Friday and learn from it than make it next Friday for about 33 times more money.

Team Dunn had more lucky with another young filly in the first trot of the night when Petite Armour got things right and recorded her second in just four starts.

For complete race results, click here.

by Michael Guerin, for Harness Racing New Zealand